JACKSONVILLE, FL – Two Jacksonville men are headed to federal prison after a scheme to illegally ship firearms to Venezuela unraveled, revealing a chilling connection to a planned hit. Antonio Jose Melean Reyes (29) and Gabriel Daniel Pinnace (32) each received six-year sentences from Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan, the result of a multi-agency investigation that exposed a network of deceit and violence.
The operation began to surface on May 15, 2021, when authorities intercepted a shipment from Jacksonville containing three firearms – a Glock 17 pistol and two Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifles – and 57 rounds of ammunition, destined for Venezuela. Investigators quickly determined Reyes had recruited Pinnace to purchase the weapons from licensed dealers, knowing full well they were intended for illicit export. Pinnace, in a brazen attempt to cover his tracks, falsified ATF Form 4473s, the required paperwork for all firearms transactions, and even attempted to obliterate the serial numbers on the guns before handing them off to Reyes. The futon concealing the weapons was flagged during a routine x-ray scan at a freight forwarding service.
But the smuggling attempt was just one layer of the criminal enterprise. Federal agents, digging deeper, uncovered evidence that Reyes wasn’t simply a gun runner – he was plotting a murder. Between July 12 and August 9, 2023, Reyes and accomplices conducted surveillance on two potential victims around Jacksonville, casing their homes in preparation for a hit linked to a $60,000 debt. Reyes even approached Pinnace to hire a hitman, offering $15,000 for the job. Agents intervened before any violence could occur, arresting Reyes on a criminal complaint.
Pinnace, attempting to distance himself from the unfolding investigation, falsely reported the firearms as stolen on May 24, 2021, after learning of the seizure. However, the ruse didn’t last. On August 11, 2023, while Reyes was in custody on unrelated state charges, a search of his cellphone revealed damning conversations with Pinnace detailing the gun trafficking operation. Further, on August 26, 2023, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents conducted an undercover sting, where Pinnace agreed to sell three firearms to an agent, again instructing them to destroy the serial numbers. Pinnace was immediately arrested.
ATF technicians were able to restore the obliterated serial numbers, linking the firearms back to Pinnace and solidifying the case. The investigation involved a coordinated effort between HSI, CBP, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the ATF. Assistant United States Attorney Aakash Singh prosecuted the case, bringing both men to justice. The sentencing sends a clear message: those who attempt to arm foreign entities and engage in violent crime will face the full force of federal law.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence by fostering collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local communities. While the sentences offer a measure of closure, the case underscores the persistent threat of illegal arms trafficking and the lengths to which criminals will go to profit from violence, even across international borders.
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